Blue Monday
by Sybil Rowan
Summary: Ayase stumbles into the wish shop and has to think if he really wants to wish his debt to Kanou away. Watanuki gets concerned when Ayase won't commit to the wish Yuuko offers. He starts trying to convince/interfere with Ayase's decision. Watanuki's good intentions only makes things painful on Ayase desperate situation.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Blue Monday

Author: Sybil Rowan

Pairing(s)/Characters: Kanou Somuku /Ayase Yukiya

Rating: M

Summary: Ayase stumbles into the wish shop and has to think if he really wants to wish his debt to Kanou away. Watanuki gets concerned when Ayase won't commit to the wish Yuuko offers. He starts trying to convince/interfere with Ayase's decision. Watanuki's good intentions only makes things painful on Ayase desperate situation.

Warnings: implied rape, and talk of violence (Okane ga Nai, so go figure), I do refer to Someya as "he" because I wasn't sure what tack to go, so PM if you think I should change to "she."

Author's Notes: This takes place early in Watanuki's time at the shop so he still is learning wishes cannot be interfered with, even if it's a wish to be miserable. And it takes place right after chapter 11 in Okane ga Nai, so Ayase's feeling towards Kanou are getting more complex. This is my first foray into Okane ga Nai, I haven't even finished reading the whole thing- up to volume 7, but I'm in love with the manga and ova. I got inspired to do a xxxHolic crossover.

Disclaimer: xxxHolic and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles and Legal Drug characters, belong to CLAMP. Okane ga Nai (No Money) was created by Hitoyo Shinozaki and illustrated by Tohru Kousaka.

My Generous, Kind, Sweet, Intelligent, Ravishing, Loving, Adorable, Anniversary-Laden Beta Reader: WingedPanther73 (SR – I didn't write all that) (WP - but she did get it started)

Date: February 13, 2014, 3:35pm

Word Count: on going

Watanuki was in the middle of dusting and mentally planning out dinner. Yuuko had requested a yōshoku meal. He was glad the pantry was stocked appropriately. He didn't want to head out for anything. He had already had a run in down at the Green Drug Store picking up a case of sake for Yuuko. He shook his head, gritted his teeth, and started dusting more furiously at the thought of being teased about being a lush by Rikuou and Kazahaya.

He hoped Kakei would line up a dreadful side job to put those two in their place, but he was grateful it had been a quiet day once he had gotten to the wish shop. It had been so quiet today, after he banished the girls. Yuuko had left a note that she'd be out for a while, and the girls were preoccupied with some sparklers out in the backyard. He got irritable when the girls had tried to light them in the shop. At least they hadn't set the wish shop on fire.

The bell to the front door rang, and Watanuki flinched. He needed to go greet the customer and tell her that Yuuko was still out. Watanuki went to the foyer and gasped as the light haired customer leaned against the doorway. Watanuki rushed over to the customer's side and helped ease what he mistook as a woman, at first, towards the floor. The young man looked up at Watanuki with lovely, wide eyes that were so very haunted. A large, deep, purple bruise was across his cheek.

"Please... I'm desperate. I'm in a lot of trouble and don't have anywhere else to go," the boy said after he caught his breath. Watanuki didn't miss the boy's cheeks growing flushed, and then he finished collapsing on the floor.

"Oh no! Now what?"

"Take him to the guest room. What else?"

Watanuki let out a strangled scream and swirled around to see Yuuko had snuck up on him. "Where did you come from, Yuuko-san?" he demanded with a balled up fist.

She ignored his question with one of those serious faces she greeted customers with. She ran her hand under the customer's thick bangs and laid it on his forehead. "Watanuki, he's running a fever."

Watanuki quickly stooped down and grabbed the customer. He put the customer's arm around his shoulders and clenched him around the waist. "Wow, he's so light. I wonder if this guy eats. And that bruise... He told me he was in real trouble."

"What else did he say?"

"He said he was desperate, that he had no place to go," Watanuki said, feeling worried over the customer's health.

"He, indeed, has a place to go, one he's not accustomed to."

"Well he shouldn't go back if this is what kind of shape he's in! Shouldn't we call the police? Or take him to the hospital?"

"This wish shop is much safer for him than anywhere beyond the fence. Anyone seeking him won't be given access, unlike at a police station or a hospital. Now hurry and get him comfortable."

Watanuki took the customer to the comfortable guest room. After he got the young man settled on the bed, he looked him over. The white clothes were torn and dirty, but looked as if they were new and high quality. It would be from an expensive wardrobe. Watanuki drew the drapes closed and turned the lights low.

He leaned over to see if there was anything he could do for the bruise on the boy's face. Watanuki couldn't help but be struck. He flinched back when the thought, 'This is the most gorgeous person I've seen in my life,' crossed his mind.

His stomach sank when he thought, 'This person is being abused. I will help him!'

* * *

Watanuki was about to take off the customer's clothes and dress him in spare pajamas he kept at the wish shop. Yuuko opened the door and asked, "Are you sure you want to do that?"

Watanuki frowned. "His clothes are ruined. He needs something comfortable."

"Sometimes kindness can seem like cruelty. This customer doesn't understand that yet."

"That's ridiculous! He's obviously being abused! How is that kind in the least?" he raged. Watanuki shook his head in aggravation. "I'm going to help him."

She nodded and said, "As you wish," before she left.

Watanuki removed the customer's clothing and was shocked to see more small, bluish bruising, like hickies, all over the soft, pale flesh. He pushed on, starting to get angry on this customer's behalf. He froze when he got to the young man's underclothes. He saw a spot of dried blood where it shouldn't be on a boy.

* * *

Watanuki had sat on the side of the customer's bed for close to three hours, waiting for his fever to break. He had put countless ice packs on bruises and cleaned up some cuts he found. He didn't know what else to do for him, and Yuuko had hinted that the young man was safer here than anywhere else.

Yuuko had never been wrong before. He decided to trust her, this time. Still, he'd like to see this customer get proper medical aid and then file a police report.

Finally, the young man sighed and opened his large, alluring eyes. He looked over at Watanuki, confused. He tried to sit up, but Watanuki carefully made him lay back down.

"Please take it easy! You're hurt!"

"Where am I?"

"You're at a wish shop." The customer's eyes grew baffled. Watanuki chuckled and gave him his friendliest smile. "I know it sounds strange, but the shop owner can grant your wish for a price."

"How did I get here?"

"You must have a wish, or you couldn't have gotten in."

The young man's eyes grew wide and fearful. Tears were starting to brim. "I don't even begin to hope my wish could ever be granted, even if wishes were true. There's no way."

"Don't say that. Yuuko-san is amazing. She'll help you. And not to sound too nosy... you seem like you desperately need one. Please give her a chance. She can help you." The young man shook his head and tears started to flow. Watanuki gently prodded, "Please. Just tell me what's wrong. I've seen her grant every wish."

"My situation is impossible."

"What is it?"

A sob broke forth and he despaired in a soft, trembling voice, not meeting Watanuki's eyes, "I was sold to a man for 120 million yen. To get free, I have to pay him back. He makes me have sex with him. For every time I'm forced to sleep with him, he gives me 500 thousand yen credit towards the debt. The thing is, the interest builds up at such a fast rate. There's no way I'll ever be free of him."

Watanuki felt the color drain from his face at the confession; his stomach was awash in acid. He took a deep breath, and tried hard to repress his horror at this customer's condition. Watanuki forced a smile to his face and patted the customer's hand. "What's your name?"

"Ayase Yukiya."

* * *

Watanuki was glad to see Ayase was able to sit upright on the fainting couch in Yuuko's parlor. Before that, Watanuki had served him early dinner in bed. He seemed so listless, so Watanuki urged him to eat a little. Ayase tasted Watanuki's cooking and looked amazed. A pleasant, innocent smile came to that beautiful face. It lit up with such warmth, Watanuki was taken off guard.

Ayase was so gentle, sweet, and kind that Watanuki couldn't help but respond to him in a nurturing and protective manner. He wondered what kind of twisted person could raise a hand to someone like Ayase. Whoever that man was had to be a sociopath; it was all Watanuki could figure.

Watanuki had to shake his head and wonder what was wrong with himself as he watched Ayase eat. What was it about Ayase that kept catching his eye? He'd always liked Himawari, and she was a girl. Maybe it was a lot of similar qualities Ayase shared with her. Watanuki's musing was broken by Ayase's bright smile, and he got a rush of joy when he was complimented over the meal and and was thanked.

Over the meal, Watanuki had learned Ayase was a first year college student. That made Ayase two years older than him, which didn't look to be the case. Ayase looked younger by far. He had been orphaned early and lived on his own, as well, so Watanuki felt a wave of empathy.

When Watanuki gently prodded about the situation with the man that had "purchased" him, Ayase clammed up. He looked utterly sorrowful and hopeless. Watanuki didn't press for details that were obviously painful and embarrassing. Ayase had been through so much, from what he'd seen.

He took up an empty plate and cup after the fair-haired boy was finished, and then he did plead, "Please come and talk to Yuuko-san. I'm sure she can help you out of this situation you're in."

Ayase looked confused and frowned. "I don't know how she could. I owe so much money."

"Why don't you run away from the man? Maybe to another town?"

He shook his head. "My cousin owes him money, too, and he hates my cousin. I'm afraid he'd do him harm if I ran away." Ayase's head drooped. "Tetsuo is my only family. Surely you understand why I have to defend the only piece of family I have left, don't you?"

Watanuki had a feeling there was something Ayase was holding back about his cousin, but he refrained from asking anything about that. Watanuki then said, "That's all the more reasons to talk to Yuuko-san, right? She could grant your wish."

Ayase looked startled and then nodded. "Okay. I'll see her."

Watanuki helped him out of bed and into a robe over the borrowed pajamas. Ayase struggled against pain. Watanuki helped him down the hallway and found Yuuko in the parlor already. She looked as if she was ready to receive Ayase, which surprised Watanuki.

He expected Yuuko to be out on the back porch with Mokona as they gazed at the moon and got plastered on sake. He had planned on fetching her, but it looked like she was ready to grant a wish. Watanuki got Ayase to sit on the fainting couch and waited for Yuuko's orders.

"I hope you're feeling somewhat better," she greeted.

"Yes, ma'am. I appreciate your kindness at letting me rest. Also, I know Watanuki-kun is busy with your business, so I thank you for letting him look after me."

She gave him a serene smile and said, "Watanuki is working off a debt to me. He has to do as I say. Part of that is serving my customers. But I have a feeling you're familiar with that situation."

Watanuki's hackles rose. Why was she trivializing what Ayase was going through by comparing it with some stupid after school job! Watanuki didn't speak, because Ayase was now giving him a look of pity, which took him off guard. Why would he get pity from someone in real, dire trouble and receiving sexual abuse? Yuuko only make him do annoying crap around the shop like dust, but he'd never been molested here.

Ayase nodded that he was in a similar arrangement, which gob smacked Watanuki. He felt his heart go out to this customer when Watanuki's supernatural vision saw a black cloud gather around his shoulders. He knew it was suffocating Ayase's spirit. "I am. I owe a man a lot of money. I have to pay him back in shameful ways."

"So your wish is to be free of your debt?" Yuuko asked, and puffed on her pipe.

Watanuki expected the young man to say, "Yes! Rescue me!" Instead, he said in a quiet, calm voice, "I don't know now if I want to leave Kanou-san. He just saved me from something really degrading. And underneath it all, I know he's been very kind to me."

"Kind?" Watanuki snapped, only to get an icy glare from Yuuko.

Ayase nodded and said meekly, "It's complicated, Watanuki-kun. I'm confused myself."

"Nobody that hits you is kind! He left that bruise on your face and marked up your body." Watanuki looked at Yuuko and was surprised she wasn't saying anything or taking back the appointment. He felt as if Yuuko was paying more attention to him than the customer.

Ayase gasped and shook his head franticly. Watanuki didn't understand the surprise in those sky blue eyes. "Kanou-san wasn't the one who struck me. It was someone who kidnapped me. You see, I wanted to get another job so I could pay off the money faster. He made some arrangements for me to do something with him at a hotel." Ayase's skin grew a bright pink. "Anyway, there was a disagreement, and I ask that we not carry through with it. He offered to let me stay at the hotel for the night. I should have asked to go home with him. There were some men he had dealings with that kidnapped me from the hotel. There was some politician involved where I was kept and he..."

Watanuki quickly got Ayase some water from a pitcher on the coffee table. Ayase was ashen and looked as if he were going to faint. After Ayase was more composed, Watanuki urged, "What happened?"

"The politician drugged me... and then was going to use me while they video taped it. That's when Kanou-san came in to rescue me and a friend of his that had also been kidnapped." Watanuki saw the dark cloud around Ayase getting thicker. "Kanou-san threatened a girl's life, and that disturbed me. He took me back home and didn't attack the girl when I asked. The drug confused me. I gave myself to him because of it, and I'm just feeling so confused about it."

"So he took advantage of you!" Watanuki raged.

Ayase flinched and shook his head. "You don't understand. I realized Kanou-san wasn't like that politician or any of the other men that look at me. I still feel Kanou-san's breaking everything around me, breaking me into pieces, but I still owe him a huge debt, so I have to remain with him."

"Don't, Watanuki. That's not your decision," Yuuko chided firmly. Watanuki looked down to see his hand was on the phone's receiver. He was surprised; he didn't even remember making the decision to call the police on Ayase's behalf. "Your wish is possible, but it comes with a heavy price. You'll have to sacrifice something."

"But I don't have a thing, Yuuko-san."

"You have two things you can offer. One, I'm not interested in: your domestic skills. I already have a maid," Yuuko joked slightly.

"WHAT'S that supposed to mean, Yuuko-san!?"

"Well, what you're working off will keep you around a lot longer then just paying back 120 million. I'd be out a part-timer in no time if I went with Ayase-kun," she said sly and then gave one of her evil chuckles when Watanuki howled at the ceiling.

"What are you paying off, Watanuki-kun? It sounds so horrible," Ayase asked, looking so worried.

Watanuki waved his hand and said, "I've lived with a condition all my life. I'm trying to get relief from it." He then paused in shock and gave his boss an incredulous look. "You have that much money, Yuuko-san?"

"Of course not. I don't deal in money. It has no intrinsic value. But the second thing Ayase-kun posses, I'm interested in."

"But he says he has no money, or anything of value aside from a small apartment and childhood mementos. What could he possesses? A piece of memory like what you took from Sakura-chan? Then again," Watanuki scowled and crossed his arms, "that might be a blessing in his case."

"His memories are very weak. The one of value is too dim to free him. You see, it's a lot more than money that ties him to Kanou-san, so it has to be a great sacrifice. It's something you've already sensed and held in admiration, Watanuki. Look at Ayase-kun closely."

Watanuki's eyes narrowed and he really studied Ayase. Beyond the black mist, he saw some glimmering on his skin. Watanuki walked around him, baffled. He drew closer and Ayase drew back in a defensive pose. Ayase then looked at his hands, trying to see what Watanuki was staring at.

"Yuuko-san, he's glowing. What's that glow?"

"It's what makes him desirable to others. It entices others, even though they can't see it, they'll surely sense it. It's a curse, of sorts, on him. Ayase's beauty is more than just his face and body. It's also his soul that people are drawn to and want to possess."

"A curse?" Ayase asked, looking franticly at his skin. Watanuki knew Ayase couldn't see what he was seeing.

"Yes, and it's that curse I'll take from you in exchange for the 120 million debt, plus all the interest you owe Kanou-san. Plus, I'll take that bond that ties you to him that you don't see."

"That doesn't sound so bad, if it's a curse. Shouldn't I want it gone?"

"Wait a minute, Yuuko-san," Watanuki interrupted. "This situation is bad. Why would you require something bad from him in return?"

"Because, it's the thing tied to keeping his heart walled up." She turned to Ayase and said, "You'll have no choice but to let people into your heart after I take it, your defensive nature will have to come to an end. I do warn you, I can take away your debt and what makes people want to make you a possession, but I can't do anything about how Kanou-san will treat you afterwards or how your heart will respond to his treatment of you."

"So he could still want me or reject me? And..." Ayase let out a strangled sob, "...I could... want to be with him?"

Yuuko took a puff off her pipe and said, "It's you're decision. You'll no longer be able to keep people at a distance like you have been."

Suddenly, Ayase bolt up and towards the front door.

"Ayase-kun! Wait!" Watanuki shouted and went to chase him.

"Watanuki. Relax. Go gather his clothing. You'll find a business card in the pocket that'll help you track him down. However, I'll tell you this: it was hitsuzen you mentioned Sakura-chan. She and Ayase-kun's keeper share something in common you should know about."

"What would a heartless beast share with Sakura-chan?" he snapped, impatient to get to Ayase.

"Lady Luck favors them both."

* * *

"A what?" Watanuki howled in shock as he stood in the lobby of what he had thought was an innocent, karaoke bar. Come to find out, it was another kind of bar completely. It was an "okama bar," where the servers were all transvestites. He clutched the shoulder bag carrying Mokona tightly, and the magical creature gave a yelp as Watanuki saw a cluster of burley men in tight women's clothes.

"That's right." The attractive man in an a grossly expensive kimono said. He looked like he was getting very peeved at Watanuki.

'What was Yuuko-san thinking sending me to an okama bar! She probably knew! I'll never live this down if Doumeki or Himawari find out! Thank goodness I brought Mokona along to play shiritori and keep away the spirits instead of Doumeki.' Watanuki looked at the business card again to make sure.

"Then you must be Shinobu Someya?"

The irritated man in the elaborate kimono gave Watanuki a shrewed look. "That's me, and unless you can prove your over nineteen, I'll have to ask you to leave. Your schoolboy outfit might bring out the worst in some of my customers."

"No, no! I didn't come here to do anything except to ask if you know an Ayase Yukiya. He was at my employer's shop this afternoon and left some stuff behind. I wanted to take it to him and make sure he's okay."

Someya's eyes widened dramatically as he grabbed Watanuki's upper arms and shook him. "Kanou has been frantic! He's been looking everywhere for sweet, little Aya-chan. He usually has the greatest luck at chasing Aya-chan down, but he couldn't find the poor dear this time. Wait a minute!" He then gave him a narrowed eyes. "What on earth was he out shopping for? He has no money, except what Kanou gives him. And he was pretty sick, from what I heard."

Watanuki thought a couple of things. The wish shop's barrier was certainly strong, if someone with good fortune like Sakura's couldn't "see" past it. Also, Someya was close friends with Kanou by the lack of an honorific, and he must not be aware of Ayase's dire situation. Surely he would have called the police.

"Well, out with it?" Someya demanded.

"Um... the owner of the shop has lots of objects she trades with clients. Anyway, Ayase-kun worried me because he left so suddenly."

"What did he leave behind?"

"His clothes," Watanuki answered.

Someya's expression grew concerned. "Oh Danna isn't going to like that one bit. You better let me have those," he said, pointing to the paper bag Watanuki was carrying, "and I'll smooth it over with Danna."

"You mean he's your husband?" Watanuki felt shocked at how Someya was referring to Kanou.

Someya waved his hand in the air in vexation. "No, it just irritates him when I call him that. He can be such a prude about certain things. He's an old, childhood friend. Anyway, he's been worried over where Aya-chan went, so he's already in a very foul mood. To know Aya-chan lost his clothes along the way will send him through the roof."

Watanuki clutched the paper bag before Someya's hands with long, red nails could snatch it. "I really want to return them personally. He was running a high fever, so I wanted to take him some of this oden. It's a really special kind." Watanuki, of course, didn't tell Someya that it was made by a fox, lest he call the authorities to come and take him away.

He had found the dimensional portal, slipped through, and graciously asked the fox father for some oden for a sick friend. He, of course, agreed and Watanuki traded some change he'd gotten from the Green Drug earlier for Yuuko's sake. The fox child seemed so fixated on Watanuki's pocket, so he figured there must be something about the coins. He was more than happy to hand over the change to the sweet fox boy, along with a fond pat on the head.

"Besides, he does have my pajamas and robe. Could you please tell me where he lives."

Someya looked as if he were weighing things out. He then nodded after some agony. "Okay, but don't stay long. You'll only aggravate Kanou. Let me call." He retrieved a red cell phone and hit a speed dial number. Someya frowned and said, "It's seems the cell towers are down. What rotten luck."

There was that word "luck" again. He shivered and said, "I know it's getting close to ten o'clock, so I won't stay long at all. It's a school night."

"Well okay. But remember, Kanou's bite is worse than his bark, so if he starts growling, you leave in a hurry."

Someya wrote down an address on a piece of paper at a hostess stand and bid him good luck and good night.

* * *

Watanuki's mind was tired from playing shiritori with Mokona. At the high rise apartment, though, the spirits abated. Watanuki had to admit this place was very posh. He got to the appropriate floor and knocked on the door with the number Someya had written.

The door flung open and a giant, dark-haired man stood there, glaring daggers at Watanuki. "What are you doing knocking on my door? Collecting for some school club? Scram!"

Watanuki, now face-to-face with this man, grew even more concerned for Ayase's well-being. No wonder Ayase was terrified and in distress. Watanuki screwed up his courage and said, "Um... no, sir. I actually came to return some things to Ayase-kun. May I please..."

"No! Go the fuck away!"

Watanuki didn't flinch back. He insisted, "I need to see Ayase-kun, because he had unfinished business at the shop I work at."

The man light a cigarette, got in his slacks' pocket, and withdrew a huge bundle of yen. "What's he owe you?"

"Oh nothing yet. I just wanted to see if he'd like to continue his order. And I brought his clothes back, along with some oden."

"That so?" Kanou gave him a hateful glare. "I was wondering about those pajamas he was in. Give it to me and get lost."

"Wait! Watanuki-kun? Is that you?" Ayase asked, coming to the door. Kanou's face clenched in aggravation, while Ayase smiled at Watanuki brightly.

"I brought you oden for your fever and the clothes you left."

"How did you know I'd have a fever again?" Ayase asked, the tell-tale signs of a flushed face giving it away. Watanuki was glad he obeyed his urge to take the detour for the fox oden now.

"Oden? For fever? Are you crazy?" Kanou snarled.

"This oden will break his fever before he finishes the bowl. I guarantee it," Watanuki smiled, proud of the fox's craft.

"Please let Watanuki-kun in. He really was nice, earlier, and gave me a good dinner. You wouldn't believe the food he made."

"This oden was made by someone else. It's a little more special. I hope one day I make it as well as him."

Kanou let out a gruff sigh and opened the door all the way. "In, but you leave quick."

Watanuki said, "Just point me to the kitchen."

* * *

Kanou insisted on tasting Ayase's bowl first to check for anything "harmful." That nasty scowl dropped for the briefest of moments and showed a peaceful pleasure, then went up in disgruntlement as he handed Ayase the bowl.

Ayase was tucked under a blanket and lying on the sofa. Kanou sat on the arm of the sofa by his head. Watanuki knelt by the coffee table as Ayase ate in silence. After a couple of moments, he perked up. Watanuki wasn't surprised, but Kanou put his hand on Ayase's forehead. The man looked shocked and then eyed the oden suspiciously.

"There is plenty of oden if Kanou-san would like some as well," Watanuki offered.

The man crossed his arms and shook his head. "It's for Ayase. He gets lots of fevers."

Watanuki could have sworn the man would crave it after tasting it. Fox oden was extremely powerful. It'd take some real willpower to refuse it. Why would such a stingy man sacrifice a bowl of soup to someone he was sexually abusing?

"This is really delicious, Watanuki-kun. Your meal was fantastic, too. I would love to cook like you."

Watanuki's mind then latched on to an excuse he could use to stay by Ayase. All he needed to do was have some more time to persuade Ayase to accept the wish. Or, at the very least, go to the police and turn this man in for the criminal he was.

Watanuki offered, "Why don't I show you some of my cooking tips? It's something I enjoy and my friends all seem to like what I make." Then Watanuki glowered. "But never ask me to show you how to make Valentine's Day chocolate! Ahg... that sadistic woman I work for... That fiasco with that snack stealing Doumeki and flying around on that bird to find his soul!" He clenched his fists and waved them around frantically. "And then to find out from Syaoran-kun that Fai-san ripped off my chocolate recipe and made a fortune in Outo World off my hard work! I hope he ends up with a rash or a werewolf bite in the next dimension! Kurogane-san is right to call him an irritating, blasted wiz...!"

They were both looking at him as if he had suddenly had grown horns and was a demented lunatic. He waved his hand in the air and asked, "So how about it? Cooking lessons?"

"Oh that'd be great," Ayase gushed.

Kanou growled. "You're a good cook Ayase. You don't need lessons from a deranged, otaku high schooler."

"But not as good as Watanuki-kun, yet. Can't I study with him for a little while? It'll benefit you," Ayase pleaded.

The man absolutely looked like he was about to explode, but he took a deep sigh and said, "Fine. He comes over when I'm here. Very seldom. Now," he pointed at Watanuki's nose, "get out!"

* * *

"What is it?"

Watanuki started at Doumeki's question. "What's what?"

"You're too quiet today. Why?"

Watanuki couldn't muster any sass to tell Doumeki to mind his own business. Plus, he did want some additional advice. "There was a customer at the wish shop yesterday that I'm worried about." He then looked to make sure Himawari wasn't around at their lunch spot. He told Ayase's story, including the sexual abuse, in a nutshell, and how he tricked his way into staying involved in Ayase's life.

"He sounds like yakuza."

"What! Not sweet Ayase!"

"Kanou-san," Doumeki said blandly.

"Yeah right! I knew that's who you meant!" Watanuki hissed, cattily.

"Well, a person can only make a wish if they want it. If Ayase-kun doesn't want it, then there's nothing to do," Doumeki said simply and blandly.

"But this is so terrible! He needs to be rescued from this yakuza jerk. He was going to throw money at me when he thought Ayase-kun owed me money. He would probably have tacked that on to poor Ayase-kun's bill, too."

Doumeki closed his bento container and set it beside Watanuki. He rose and asked Watanuki, "Does he really want to be free?"

"Of course! Everyone wants to live free!"

Then Doumeki gave him a cool look. "Not everyone. Sometimes people choose to chain themselves to others for all sorts of reason."

Watanuki shook his head furiously. "That's horrible and a ridiculous notion! Why would someone deliberately tie themselves to another for the rest of their life?"

He froze when Doumeki gave him a very harsh expression. "You're interfering. If Ayase-kun wants to be free, he'll come to Yuuko-san. Let him make the choice."

There was ice that came to Watanuki's stomach as he watched Doumeki walk off. There wasn't one reason, in Watanuki's opinion, Ayase should stay with Kanou. He had to try to make Ayase see sense and accept Yuuko's terms.

To be continued.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N:

Ane-san: a term used for a yakuza's wife.

I got the astrology information from: astrology dot com slash love dash compatibility

Also, special thanks to WingedPanther73 for his contribution to Yuuko's dialog, he was a real big help.

Blue Monday, Part 2:

"Excellent!" Watanuki declared after tasting Ayase's shrimp tempura with chopsticks. "You're a great cook."

Watanuki then secretly despaired. Soon, Watanuki wouldn't have an excuse to visit Ayase. They had spent three weeks working on Ayase's cooking. Yuuko had been surprisingly flexible about Watanuki spending time with Ayase.

Watanuki had asked her several times to meet with Ayase herself, however she declined with no reason given. It pissed him off. Didn't she have a duty to help Ayase if she knew what he was suffering? Then again, she always seemed to be neutral towards the customers. It wasn't apathy per se, but there was always some sort of reservation there. The only exception Watanuki had ever seen was Syaoran and his group; she favored them, but they still had to pay their way.

Ayase said, "There seems so much to learn. You've done far more advanced dishes than I have."

"Well, taking care of yourself can kind of push you to cook better than average." Watanuki cast his eyes over his shoulder to make sure that the yakuza thug was still busy in the living room.

Kanou was on his cell phone with a pile of paperwork in front of him. He was bellowing about foreclosing on a business at someone named Kuba. Watanuki whispered, "You know, living on your own does have its advantages."

"Watanuki-kun, please, not again. If Kanou-san hears you, it'll just cause me trouble and you won't be able to come over anymore," Ayase whispered back with a worried look.

Watanuki had come over on a regular basis after school and tried so hard to persuade Ayase to accept the wish. He would wait until Kanou would be distracted and then badger Ayase about his wish. Usually, it was Tuesdays and Thursdays, with an occasional Saturday afternoon, that he would come over. Ayase had to cancel a few times because Kanou was busy and wouldn't be around. Watanuki was shocked the man was serious about that.

He thought it was a ridiculous joke, until he realized Kanou was serious after Ayase's third cancellation. What appalled him was how Ayase accepted the insulting restriction. It infuriated Watanuki to see how that yakuza jerk had such a short leash on Ayase.

What was the most terrible was that Ayase would have to suffer through degrading "purity checks" after Watanuki left. Even though, the man didn't really leave them too far out of sight and would randomly pop into the kitchen. He found that out last Tuesday when he came back for his school bag after accidentally leaving it. He left quickly since Ayase was bent over back of the sofa, naked from the waist down; his eyes had been so full of shame. Ayase had explained it was to ensure he hadn't had sex with anyone but Kanou later in hushed tones.

"Ayase-kun, please..." Watanuki begged, "It's not worth it. Let it go and accept Yuuko's offer. She told me last night that the wish is still open to you."

The house phone rang and Ayase answered. "Tetsuo! It's nice to hear from you. How are you doing... You need to talk to Kanou-san about your job?... He's working right now, so can I have him call you back... I know, but you have to pay off your debt, too..."

Watanuki faded against the wall when that yakuza jerk stormed into the kitchen and yanked the phone away from Ayase.

Kanou raged at the young man over the phone, "I should have put you at the bottom of Tokyo Bay for what you did to your cousin, so don't even think of worming out of work! Selling him to save your skin! You're lucky I only make you work manual labor, rather than sell your organs!"

Kanou then listened for a few seconds. "Yeah, well you should kiss Ayase's beautiful, delicate feet for all the begging he did so I wouldn't cut your heart out and show it to you while it still beat, you fucker!"

Kanou then listened to the phone some more. Watanuki found himself trembling at the man's wrathful aura. Kanou's face turned utterly disgusted as he listen further. Watanuki looked over to watch Ayase cover his mouth and ball up in the corner against the cabinets. Tears were flowing down his cheeks. Watanuki went and knelt in front of Ayase and laid a hand on his shaking shoulder. Those beautiful eyes were clenched tight.

"I'll never forgive what you did to Ayase, so shut the fuck up and deal with it, you pussy! I'll collect the whole amount you owe me one way or the other! In other words, if you don't like construction, I'll sell your liver! Another thing! If you don't stop trying to contact Ayase and bugging the shit out of me you WILL end up at the bottom of Tokyo Bay!"

The man slammed the phone back on the cradle, and stalked over towards Ayase.

Watanuki was shocked to see the utter malice of Kanou. Terrified, Ayase balled up tighter in the corner of the kitchen after that overheard conversation was finished. Ayase was sobbing, but doing his best to stifle it. He was shaking like a leaf. Watanuki realized this man didn't care who knew what was going on in this apartment. Now the whole story came into focus for Watanuki. It was Ayase's own cousin who had sold him. No wonder Ayase seemed so shell shocked.

"How many times do I have to tell you to hang up on Ishii?" Kanou demanded. "If he wants to talk to me, he can make an appointment with Kuba and meet me at the office. If he dials this number once more, I'll find him a worse job, like donating both his kidneys. Am I clear, Ayase?"

"Stop yelling at him," Watanuki snapped, putting himself in between Ayase and Kanou. "It wasn't his fault."

Kanou looked shocked and then glared at Watanuki. He asked in a lethal and cool voice, "Who do you think you are, high schooler?"

"I'm his friend, and I don't want to see him hurt," Watanuki said.

"Leave my home and never..." Kanou's cell phone rang. He snarled and answered the phone. "Yeah... and I told that two-bit politician I want more than that... Yeah, the bastard owes me for putting his hands on my property..." Watanuki felt Ayase's body tremble at being called that by Kanou. "Remind him Gion still has that tape... Fine! Have him wait. I'll be there in a minute."

Kanou swirled and barked, "Get rid of the high schooler, Ayase. I've got to go settle some business with that hentai politician, so don't come to my office."

Ayase lifted his head, but wouldn't meet Kanou's eyes. He just nodded. Kanou went to stroke Ayase's head, but he flinched. The man clenched his hand and jaw. He swirled and marched out of the apartment, slamming the door with force.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Watanuki-kun."

"Please come to the shop with me. Take Yuuko-san up on her offer."

Ayase now looked backed into a corner. He said, "Not today. You better go."

"Okay, but I'll be by tomorrow."

Ayase nodded but stayed balled on the floor. Watanuki left the apartment quietly. As he walked towards the wish shop he starting getting irritated at Ayase's stubbornness. But then, it made sense why Ayase stayed with Kanou.

If your own cousin would sell you as a sex slave, how could you trust anyone? Watanuki, by the time he got to the fence of the wish shop, decided he'd work harder on gaining Ayase's trust and convince him to leave Kanou.

* * *

"Back from Shinjuku so quickly? Ane-san must be a quick study," Yuuko said, in the middle of arranging some chrysanthemums.

"Don't call him that! He's not a willing partner to that yakuza thug!" Watanuki snapped, clenching the strap on his school bag tighter. "I have to go back tomorrow, by the way, so I'll be a little late."

"Oh?" She asked with a sly prompting, but didn't protest like he thought she would.

"Kanou-san got really pissed off at Ayase-kun when his cousin called." Watanuki then felt acid fill his stomach. "It's worse than I though. His cousin was the one that got him into that situation. No wonder he feels like he has no place to go and there is no one he can trust. He's afraid to take your offer because his ability to trust is eroded."

She gave him a shrewd look and then gave a slow smile. "Maybe, but is there more to what Ane-san feels for his yakuza keeper than what's on the surface? Have you thought of that, Watanuki? If it was as terrible as you say, shouldn't he accepted the wish I was willing to grant without hesitation?"

"Are you kidding me?! Ayase-kun looked like he wanted to throw up when the man went to touch him. I don't blame him! He should have bit that thug's fingers off! Kanou-san was acting like he was oh-so sweet on Ayase-kun, trying to touch his hair! It was revolting!"

"Then what do you think Kanou-san's motivation is for buying Ayase-kun?"

That question stunned Watanuki. He froze and automatically dismissed the question with a fierce shake to his head. "Because he's a sick hentai! He had the nerve calling someone else that!"

"Perhaps. Be ready to stay over tomorrow night after you get back from checking on Ayase-kun. He's been cutting into my time."

Watanuki felt a sense of dread as he went to go towards the kitchen. He froze when she said, "How about some tempura tonight?"

"Fine, I'll..."

Suddenly, Black Mokona popped up and said, "Syaoran wants to talk to Yuuko." Watanuki rejoined the witch in case he needed to do something right away.

"I want to talk to him, too. About my White Day gifts," Yuuko said, mildly peeved.

The blue gem on Mokona's head flared to life and projected Syaoran on the wall. Yuuko asked, "Still in Piffle World?"

"Yes, ma'am, but I'm afraid Fai is sick. He got this terrible rash all of the sudden and hasn't been well. There's no cure here, in spite of the technology," Syaoran said, looking so worried. "Kurogane wants to know the price so he can pay it. He says he's tired of Fai wailing like a five year old." Then Syaoran grew sour, glanced to make sure no one was listening, and then whispered, "I have to admit, it is getting a little old."

"Better than a werewolf bite, I suppose," Yuuko said, giving Watanuki a pointed look. He felt the color drain from his face. "Words do having meaning, Watanuki. Yours are more powerful than most. Because of that, I think Watanuki needs to pay the price for Fai's cure. I'll just tack it onto his time." She then turned to Syaoran's image. "Fai'll feel better by morning." She then got a teasing tone and said, "Tell the ninja not to fret too much over the wizard. He might get wrinkles, or something worse, like lose a limb."

Syaoran's baffled image faded. Watanuki turned to her in a fury. "How did you know I said something like that about the rash and the werewolves? I was just kidding. I really didn't mean for Fai-san to get sick!"

"It'll cost you to find out how you did it," she said with a cunning smirk.

"Never mind," he bellowed and marched out to cook Yuuko's dinner.

* * *

Watanuki had a restless night, which was unusual for him. Dreams usually took him quickly. He kept tossing and turning, but finally fell into a deep sleep.

"Doumeki?" he asked the person he saw sitting on the back porch of the wish shop. No, the man gave him a charming smile and took a puff off a cigarette. Watanuki smiled back and breathed out the name, "Haruka."

"Come sit and talk with me."

"It's a real treat every time I see you in my dreams. They're always the best," Watanuki said, sitting by Doumeki's grandfather, or rather, the spirit of the man. This was the one spirit he never minded haunting him.

"So you've made a new friend?" the man asked.

"Yes, how do you know?"

"Shizuka's thoughts seem disturbed by your overtures towards the other boy."

"That's right. You can still see in his head. Well, he's been tight lipped lately and won't give me any help with Ayase-kun. He says that Ayase-kun will come around when ready, but the man he lives with has him terrorized.

"I explained everything to Doumeki, but he just keeps telling me I'm getting into something that's not my business. It's very frustrating. If you saw Ayase-kun, you'd understand. He seems so helpless. That nasty man he lives with has him so afraid to do anything except cry and cower. It's disgusting."

"It is, I'm sure, the way you see it. Sometimes kindness can look like cruelty."

Watanuki felt shocked. "Yuuko-san said that same sort of thing."

Haruka looked mildly surprised, chuckled, and said, "Well then, there might be something to that. Be careful what you say to Ayase-kun. You're trying to change his situation, and it could make things worse."

"But his life can only get better free of that debt."

"Life and situation are two different things. A person can be happy and live a good life in a lot of situations that seem like an atrocity exhibition, like captivity. Just help him find his way towards living a good life, not finding a good situation. If you keep pushing him to leave his situation when he doesn't want to, you're just as guilty as the person who bought him, Kimihiro."

The dream faded away and he jerked awake. He shook his head and put on his glasses. Haruka had to be wrong this time. He respected and adored Haruka a great deal, but he was having difficulty digesting the advice he had just been served. He started having something nag at the back of his mind he didn't want to dwell on.

* * *

Watanuki served the two bentos and crossed his arms. He watched Himawari and Doumeki chat about an upcoming archery match. He didn't interrupt, like he normally would. Instead, his mind was too much on Ayase and what he was going to say to convince him to accept the wish.

"Watanuki? You seem so quite. Are you okay?"

"Himawari, are Capricorns and Leos compatible?" Watanuki asked. He remembered Ayase had said his birthday was in early January, and Watanuki had seen an official, government document laying on a table that had Kanou's date of birth in late July.

"Oh? Let me see," she said, digging through her school bag and getting out her astrology book. She flipped through the pages and then looked delighted. "What a love match! Absolutely perfect. It says 'When Leo and Capricorn join together in a love match, they form a mutually supportive union. Capricorn is more conservative, hard working and traditional in outlook. Leo is a firm believer in hard work, but tends to get things done through their charm and social skills. However, both are extremely devoted, especially to each other. Although they may seem to be an unlikely couple on the surface, their love will grow as they discover similarities.' That sounds so dreamy, almost like a fairy tale. Who's the couple? Jun and Rika?"

"No," Watanuki said darkly. He couldn't force the scowl off his face as Doumeki gave a slight sigh.

"Well who?" Himawari pressed with a gleeful smile.

"His cooking student and the roommate he has, I'd bet," Doumeki supplied.

"Shut up, Doumeki! Haruka didn't give me any good answers and now you're here talking about..." He clamped his mouth shut, realizing he had called Doumeki's grandfather by his first name with no honorific. Also, he was about to rant about Ayase's shameful plight in front of Himawari.

Doumeki turned to Himawari and said, "Yuuko-san's latest customer is the unwilling boyfriend of a hardcore yakuza. He wants out, but isn't certain he wants the wish. Watanuki's been badgering him for weeks to take Yuuko-san's wish. The guy keeps declining."

"Wouldn't you badger him, too? Probably not, you heartless slug!"

"I'm not a control freak," Doumeki replied blandly and finished his lunch.

"I'm NOT a control freak! I care about my friend and don't want him abused by some yakuza jerk!"

"Yakuza?" Himawari gasped, covered her lips with her fingers, and gave Watanuki a wide-eyed, concerned look.

Watanuki wanted to strangle Doumeki for all of this. He glared at the impassive teen. "Yes. The customer's... gentleman friend..." he said that sarcastically, "owns a 'financing' businesses. If businesses fail, he swoops in and bleeds everyone dry, even innocent bystanders. That's all Ayase-kun was, just an innocent bystander. Now he's trapped!"

"How horrible. Who is this guy?" she asked.

The bell rang and Watanuki collected the bento treys. Watanuki wanted to blow off the conversation now, but Himawari then asked, "I need you to walk me home. Would that be okay?"

Watanuki was stuck. He'd have to take her to Shinjuku and then walk her home. Still. It could be a good time to chat, just the two of them. He just wanted to make sure Ayase was okay, and Kanou typically worked late, from what he understood. Watanuki nodded and said, "You could keep me company. I think you and Kanou... what...?" Then Watanuki shook his head furiously, confused. "I meant to say you and Ayase will have a lot in common."

Why on earth would he think Himawari had anything related to that yakuza thug. He was leery of taking her along, now, but something said he really need Himawari with him, yakuza or no.

* * *

They arrived and he knocked on the door. Ayase answered. He looked so joyous. "I'm so glad you came back. I get a little stir crazy in this place by myself. Oh... who's this pretty girl?"

"She's Himawari-chan," Watanuki introduced.

"I'm Kunogi Himawari, a very close friend of Watanuki's. I wanted him to walk me home, but he said he wanted to check on you, so I hope you don't mind. It's so nice to meet you."

"I'm Ayase Yukiya. So nice too meet you," Ayase said with the warmest smile.

Watanuki was pleased to see how warmly they treated each other. They both chatted so sweetly. It was the most "uber squee" thing Watanuki could ever imagine. He just wanted to sit back on the sofa and just let out an hour long "awwwwww!" as they smiled and enthusiastically chatted. He could swear it was the happiest he'd seen Ayase ever in three weeks.

It wasn't long before Watanuki had them in the kitchen and was talking about how to make a proper tonkatsu. He was irritated by Ayase asking to show him that. Ayase explained that Kanou, when they went out, ordered it frequently. Watanuki almost refused and lied, claiming he had never made tonkatsu, but Himawari would know he was fibbing.

Halfway through his direction, there was a nasty snap from the doorway, "More high schoolers?"

Ayase gave the hulking, dark man leaning in the doorway a bright smile. "I'm learning how to make tonkatsu. Watanuki guarantees you'll never like anyone else's but mine after I pick up his recipe."

Watanuki didn't miss the moment of astonishment cross the man's face. "Tonkatsu? Really? You asked to learn how to cook that?"

Ayase grew bashful suddenly. "I wanted to surprise you."

Kanou gave just the barest hint of a smile. "Fine. I expect a good dinner, then. I've got to go back to the office."

"Is everything is okay, Kanou-san?" Ayase asked, with clasped hands and a worried look. It made Watanuki sick! How could Ayase care about this yakuza thug's business in the least?

"Fine. Just an old competitor that's not understanding his place." Then the man's eyes went to Himawari. "Finish your lesson. I'll be home soon, though."

Ayase nodded. Watanuki could read between the lines. The whole 'I'll be home soon' meant Ayase should get rid of them soon because the man wanted sex. Himawari's presence relaxed the man, somehow. He guessed the man had thought Watanuki was some romantic rival, but that was far from the case. He did find Ayase very attractive. He figured it was because of the curse, but he'd never complicate the situation by doing anything. He had one goal: freeing Ayase.

Himawari rose for some reason, and Watanuki could have sworn she and Kanou fell into a trances as they both headed to the sink. They bumped arms, and then they flung apart from each other. Watanuki saw with his supernatural vision the bright, purple arch of an exchange of energy.

He just watched as Kanou came to and begged her forgiveness like a gentlemen. She came to as well and they politely apologized to each other. Kanou even gave Himawari a glass of water before he left, which baffled the heck out of Watanuki.

Something had just happened, and it wasn't good.

* * *

Watanuki was serving Yuuko some sake on the back porch. He looked over at her as she stared at the moon. Mokona was already passed out on Yuuko's lap. His thoughts grew darker and darker.

Finally, out of frustration he asked her, "Why don't you help Ayase-kun?"

She gave him a mildly amused expression, a smile played at her lips, not touching the edge of the cup. "I'm doing everything I can do. I offered him the wish. He can be free of that debt when he chooses."

"But doesn't it bother you in the least?"

"Of course it does. But then that wish becomes mine, not his. Then the burden of the price passes to my shoulders. As the owner of the wish shop, I'm not allowed to claim any price for a wish."

"So you can't influence people? Even if it's for their own good?"

"For their own good? In your opinion, right?"

"He's being abused by that man! That yakuza jerk is forcing him sleep with him. How can you say I'm not right in my judgment?" Watanuki asked.

"It still stands that you can't take responsibility for Ayase, either. He leaves on his own accord, or nothing is accomplished."

Watanuki's teeth ground together. He was about to further nag at her when the front door slammed open. Ayase's voice came from the foyer, "Watanuki! I need help!"

"Bring him here," Yuuko ordered, taking a sip of sake as she covered Mokona with her kimono. "But you are not to say anything to influence Ayase."

"What is it?" Watanuki asked Ayase, who was nothing more than hair and tears.

"They took Kanou! It was that man with a missing video, Yoshiizumi. He had a trap laid out. He just called me. He's demanding I bring that tape of me with the politician, lots of money, and be ready to hand myself over. He says he'll kill Kanou if I don't."

"Come talk with Yuuko."

He took Ayase out back to Yuuko. She listened to Ayase's pitiful tale. Watanuki had no idea why he was sobbing. Wouldn't it be a good if Kanou disappeared? Watanuki fought hard to bite his tongue.

"Kanou-san is someone who is favored by good luck. There was something that nullified his luck," Yuuko observed.

"Can his luck be restored so he can escape?" Ayase asked. Watanuki could swear the older teen was frantic.

"Yes, but there is a price," she said. "For the next week you must be the one to initiate sex. Once a night, when he gets home from work." Watanuki bit his bottom lip to keep from arguing with Yuuko.

Ayase's head hung low. He softly asked, "Why? Why does that have to be the price?"

"Because retrieving his luck is not trivial. You sleeping with him willingly is not trivial either. It requires a great effort on your behalf.

After a long moment, Ayase nodded. "Please, Kanou isn't the only one in danger. The two men he works for and his friend, Gion, too. I'll do it," Ayase said, his face growing pink. "After all, Kanou isn't like them."

Watanuki was using every bit of his willpower to not scream at Ayase. Yuuko then said, "Go back home. Tell him nothing about what you know when he gets home."

Ayase nodded and bolted from the wish shop with a strangled sob. Watanuki turned to Yuuko and couldn't meet the witch's eyes. "That was low, Yuuko. How could you do that to him?"

"One day you'll find out why his luck is so difficult to restore."

"Games! I'm a little tired of them right now." He was about to storm away from Yuuko.

Her voice was very crisp. "I assure you, it's very serious business. Ayase-kun's happiness is at stake."

* * *

"And so now what? It's like he has Stockholm Syndrome! And then Yuuko-san asking him to willing sleep with Kanou-san? I just don't get it."

Doumeki gave him an impassive expression as they walked on the Cross Academy Campus for their first classes. "But Ayase-kun accepted the wish. It was his free will."

"But Yuuko could have picked a bunch of other things as the price."

"Have you ever thought she may not? There are definitely rules to how the wish shop operates. Have you ever seen her let the customers pick the price or give them a couple of options how they pay for their wishes?"

Watanuki shook his head. "I've never thought about it before."

"So you can't be mad at Yuuko."

"Alright, alright! I won't be mad at her," Watanuki said in a waspish tone. "But I'm a little pissed off that he took the deal. He could have been free and clear a while ago. Now he's probably at home putting out for that jerk."

"Jealous much?" Doumeki said with just a hint of teasing.

"Me? Jealous of Ayase-kun! Are you out of your mind?" he snarled.

"No, of Kanou-san," Doumeki said.

Watanuki clenched his fists and was about to loudly protest, just as Himawari joined them. She looked a little pale and queasy. "Himawari-chan! Are you okay?"

"I don't know. I got sick late last night. I haven't felt the same. Some unusual things happened to me after you dropped me off."

"What is it?" Watanuki asked getting panicked.

She pushed a smile on her face and waved a hand. "It's already clearing up. Let's get to class."

Watanuki followed his two friends, disgruntled by the lack of help he was getting. His mind struggled to find someone with advice on how to get Ayase out of his situation, not get him further in. Then it dawned on him. If Yuuko wouldn't help Ayase at the wish shop, maybe Kakei at the Green Drug would.

To be continued.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I had Watanuki play shiritori with English words just to make the story consistent with my writing.

Blue Monday, Part 3:

It was early Saturday morning when Watanuki peeked his head inside the Green Drug store. It was just as the store was due to open, but the two clerks weren't to be seen. "Rikuou-kun? Kazahaya-kun?"

"Just me this morning," Kakei said, startling the crap out of Watanuki.

He swirled around and glared. "Why do you and Yuuko-san always do that to me?!"

The man gave him a charming smile and said, "Because it's fun."

Watanuki glared. If he didn't feel backed into such a corner, he'd rant at the man. Instead, he took a deep breath and said, "I need to see you about a wish shop customer."

Kakei crossed his arms and said, "Yuuko-sama and I have a reciprocal relationship. She would have let me know if I needed to help accommodate a customers of hers. Therefor, I assume this is of your own accord?"

"You know that already. I swear you two play too many games," he groused.

"You do know we have a non-compete clause, too?" Kakei said, his smile getting every bit as sly as Yuuko's.

"Um... no, but he hasn't accepted the one wish offered him, so you wouldn't be competing, per se. I just want to see my friend helped, and Yuuko-san doesn't seem willing help."

Saiga came in with his sunglasses on, even though it was six in the morning. He lofted a bag and looked towards Watanuki. "That's why you had me pick up an extra danish and an extra coffee." The man went over and laid a tender kiss on Kakei's cheek. "And here I thought it was because you needed a little extra sugar and caffeine after last night."

Watanuki felt his face go beet red. Saiga and Kakei were totally open about their relationship, but Watanuki was still bashful about public displays of affection, no matter who the couple was.

Saiga set the bag down on the counter by the register. He removed three drinks and three pastries. "Dig in, Watanuki-kun," Saiga said as he pulled up three bar stools for them.

"I thought Rikuou-kun and Kazahaya-kun were going to be here," Watanuki said, picking up the danish.

"I sent them out. Kazahaya was going to have an unfortunate accident where he would have touched you. Yuuko and I traded a favor, so I would make sure that wouldn't ever happen," Kakei said.

"What would have happened if he did touch me?"

"It'd hurt him a great deal, so I ask that you refrain from ever getting too close. Any other information, you'd have to ask Yuuko-san for," Kakei said.

Watanuki was now too frustrated to care about why he should never touch Kazahaya. He shoved it aside and asked, "Can I ask you some questions about my new friend? Please? What would you charge?"

"I do have to charge; you do know that. I usually deal in money for objects, but you're broke. There is something that will come to the wish shop in the future that I will want very badly. You'll hand it over for my services today."

"But I can't hand over Yuuko-san's stuff! She'll kill me!"

"The moment the item will come to the wish shop, Yuuko-sama won't stop you from handing it to me. It'll be an umbrella from a very unhappy woman. You'll remember when it happens. Fair?" Kakei asked.

Watanuki weighed it out; he nodded. "I just want to know if you can help Ayase-kun. Here is a scarf of his I took last time I was at his place, just in case you need it." He dragged the scarf out of his school bag and handed it to Kakei.

"Physical contact does help me focus, but it's not quite like Kazahaya's gift."

Kakei tilted his head and the man's eyes unfocused. Watanuki new the pharmacist was letting the future into his consciousness. There was so much there, or it was complicated, judging by the length of time.

Kakei frowned and looked over to Saiga. "Remember Kanou Somuku?"

"Yeah, of course. He pays me promptly; he's always a good customer. He asked me to find some kid he ran into four years ago. I looked and found that kid he wanted to see again. I had to sleep 20 hours a day for four days straight to find the kid. That took a toll on our love life; I still have to make that up to you. It was a real bitch besides that," Saiga said, rubbing his forehead with a pained expression, "but I did it because he pays well. I told him the kid got sold to a slaver ring and was on auction, and well... He got really pissed. I'd say more like furious.

"He called in a quick favor to make sure he had enough cash on hand and just went down to that scummy club. I don't know what happened after that. He made a deposit in my bank account and nothing else was said."

Watanuki was surprised Saiga and Kakei knew Kanou, but decided to ignore that. Yuuko would have reminded him it was just hitsuzen, anyway. Then he asked, "Saiga-san, how did you find Ayase-kun? I don't understand."

"If someone asks me to find something, I can in the here and now. I can't find things in the past like Kazahaya or things in the future like Kakei. It's all in my dreams. Sometimes it takes a while to match up the right dreams, but I usually get it right." Saiga's normally smug expression then looked a little bashful. "That's why I went into the informal detective business." Then he grew cool with clenched fists. "Believe it or not, I make more money making furisodes and bridal gowns, but I'm done with it for now! Dang those bridezillas getting on my last nerve!"

"Now, now, my dear, you never mind the bridezillas. We make plenty from the drug store for you to dump that side line. Watanuki has a card in his pocket that could give you a whole new avenue into your tailoring sideline, though. Hand it over, Watanuki."

"Hun?" He fumbled around in his pockets and handed over the neglected business card for Someya's okama bar. Watanuki then screamed realizing what the other two men were looking at it now. "I'm not an okama! I swear!"

"So what if you were?" Saiga looked mildly annoyed at his outburst. Then he grew lecherous as he looked Watanuki up and down. "Dang, you could really rock a school girl uniform if you tried. I bet your legs are nice and you have those sexy little cow-licks. I could twist those around my fingers all day long."

"Please don't say that," Watanuki begged, wanting to melt into the tile on the floor.

Saiga then smiled, looking at the card again. "This does sound like a promising opportunity. Okama love their wardrobes and appreciate someone with my talent. I'm going down there with my portfolio first thing! Thanks, Watanuki-kun."

"Just don't talk about my legs and hair again!" he demanded.

"How about your tight, sexy..."

"Don't you even dare!" Watanuki bellowed, waving his fists in the air while Kakei smirked in the background. He then looked at the pharmacist and asked, "You aren't jealous?"

"Saiga is a big flirt, and I get a thrill watching him back all of you youngsters into a corner. That thrill leads to some fun times between us in the bedroom. Don't you think I'd know if he was really going to cheat on me?"

"Oh yeah," Watanuki said numbly. "Listen, please tell me you'll take Ayase-kun as your customer and get him away from Kanou-san."

The man's face dropped any pretense of playfulness. He pushed his glasses up on his nose and said in a chipped tone, "I see you're going to have to learn the hard way. Come to my office and I'll explain things to you."

After he and Kakei were settled on the couch with their coffees, Kakei said, "You're very concerned with Yuuko-san's customer, obviously, but there are some things you don't understand about granting wishes. Yuuko-san can only provide the wish if the customer accepts it.

"She can't force someone into taking her offer. That would defeat the whole purposes of a wish exchange. A wish is a person's fondest desire to change some situation in their life. The situation doesn't always need changing, the person needs changing. The focus of the wish should be the person's change, not changing things around that person."

Watanuki paused and gave serious thought to what Kakei just told him. "In other words, Yuuko-san is working on the person's internal problems so they can help themselves."

"Exactly! Or else, that person will remain chained to their situation, rather than finding their own way out, or fining their way to happiness. They'll remain stuck in their own misery and won't get stronger if you continue to fight their battles for them." Kakei gave him a kindly, sympathetic smile.

He patted Watanuki on the head and said, "Be kind to that customer of Yuuko's and let him grow strong on his own. He has one challenge he's facing now with his cousin. He will overcome that obstacle; today might be that day, depending on you."

"But Kanou...!"

Kakei pushed his glasses up on his nose, handed back Ayase's scarf, and gave Watanuki a freezing look. "I know Kanou-san from Saiga's business. He's not what you think he is. He did what he did for Ayase-kun out of kindness, not greed, like you think."

Watanuki felt deflated. He said dryly with the barest hint of sarcasm, "Thanks for helping, Kakei-san."

The pharmacist gave him a tender smile and said, "One day you'll give me a phone call and apologize for that insult. You'll have sincerity behind it then. Now go straight to Yuuko-sama. She'll want to talk to you."

* * *

Watanuki gently closed the wish shop's door and trudged towards the kitchen. It was his natural spot and safe haven. He froze when he saw Yuuko's harsh eyes. She then had a slow smile come to her lips as she entered the kitchen.

"Did you have a nice breakfast with Kakei-san, Watanuki?"

"No," he said darkly.

"Did you at least learn something?"

"Yes."

"Do you think you can manage to not interfere in Ayase's wish?"

Watanuki frowned. He was starting to understand why Yuuko wasn't being aggressive with her wish granting. He shook his head and said, "Can I at least have one more time to convince him? Just one more. Then I'll be convinced about what you and everyone else told me."

"Once more, Watanuki, but there is a price for that. If you can't convince him by this afternoon, that wish will be closed to him."

"You mean he can never come back?!" Watanuki felt as though his friend would be doomed and he'd never see Ayase again.

"He can come back to the wish shop one day and get another wish granted, but not that particular one."

Watanuki nodded. There was a little comfort in that, but he still wanted to give this one last shot.

She caressed Watanuki's cheek and gave him a sympathetic look. "There is something you don't know about granting that particular wish. If I were to do it, how long do you think he'd remain free if he didn't change himself? He'd still have his physical attractiveness and his cousin lurking around."

"What do you...? Oh." Then Watanuki grew cold and shaky. There was something about the mention of Ayase's cousin that panicked him. "I need to go see Ayase!"

"Go. Come back when you finally understand why you need to let him live his life as he chooses."

Watanuki ran from the wish shop with purpose. He needed to learn his lesson or rescue Ayase. He wasn't sure which way it was going go.

* * *

Watanuki knocked on the door, a little timid. Kanou answered, looking as if he were in an extreme rage. Kanou cut right to the chase. "Do you know where Ayase is?"

"Not at all. I came here to warn him against visiting his cousin." Watanuki felt panicked. "He wouldn't just wander off from you. Something else happened to get him to go, I'm sure."

"Yeah... and what do you know about it?" the man asked in a suspicious tone. Identical twins in business suits were in the the apartment's living room.

One of them said, "I called Someya-san. He doesn't know where Ayase-kun is either."

"I just had a bad feeling he went to go visit his cousin. My boss... well she... Never mind! Ayase-kun needs to be stopped from visiting his cousin!"

Kanou clenched the front of Watanuki's shirt. "You know something, so you're tagging along."

Watanuki let the man yank him along. The twins in business suits followed, looking very menacing. They got to a parking garage. Watanuki couldn't believe the luxury car he was being pushed into. Kanou sat beside him in the back and the twins got in front.

"Kuba, call that piece of shit cousin of Ayase's. Put it on speaker."

The passenger twin dialed the phone. The one driving clutched the steering wheel tighter when the phone call was picked up. The voice on the other end said, "Ishii here."

"Have you seen Ayase-kun?" the passenger twin asked.

"Is this Kuba-san?"

"Yes. Kanou wants him back. Now," Kuba said.

The phone connection abruptly cut off. Kanou bellowed, "That little shit! I'll choke the snot out of him for hanging up on me! He better not have Ayase."

Watanuki was afraid of the wrathful man beside him. Kanou turned towards him. "That shit is playing games with me and he'll regret it. He knows where Ayase is. How did you know he was with his cousin, high schooler?"

"I know Saiga-san and his boyfriend, too. I had breakfast with them and they mentioned something to me that gave me a bad feeling."

"That explains things. Anything else Saiga-san told you?"

"No, not really. I just heard the word cousin mentioned twice today and there isn't such a thing as coincidence. My boss really hammered that into my head," Watanuki said, now really believing that.

Kanou nodded curtly. "It is strange you know Saiga-san, too."

They drove along. "Well, in the business I got roped into..." He then firmly shook his head. "Never mind. I just want to see Ayase-kun safe. We can agree on that. And I..." Watanuki's eyes caught a hold of something he'd seen before, but not quite this bad.

There was a thick black cloud of malevolent spirits hovering around a building. Underneath was just the faintest of a glimmer. It was the same color Watanuki had seen on Ayase's skin. Ayase was somewhere in that building. Watanuki shouted, "Wait! I think he's here! There is something wrong with that building! He's here!"

"What are you... like Saiga or some? You can find stuff, too?" Kanou asked in incredulity.

Watanuki shook his head. "No, I'm not like him. I just know."

Kanou then said, "Kuba, pull over."

The driving twin parallel parked and calmly looked over his shoulder. "Now what, boss?"

Kanou glowered at Watanuki and confirmed, "He is here. I know this place. It's where he was sold to me. You wouldn't have known that."

"Then we have to go get him! No telling what else could happen to him on top of what he's already going through!" Watanuki then clamped his jaw shut. Ayase's potential future came flooding into his his head. He'd just be resold to someone else who may also rape him and do worse. Maybe even slice him into pieces. He didn't know why he had that feeling, but he did. "Please, Kanou-san! He's in trouble, and I just know it!"

Kanou's face grew grave. "I'm not letting Ayase go. He's mine."

"Anyone play shiritori?" Watanuki asked, knowing even the short walk to the building and inside was going to be excruciating and extremely difficult. The spirits and no Doumeki was going to be real trouble for him. He couldn't afford to flake out right now.

They looked at him as if had lost his mind right then and there. Kanou's jaw gritted and looked as if he were about to bellow at him. The passenger twin sighed and said, "Apple."

Watanuki then said with some relief, "Egret."

"Tell," the twin replied. Watanuki got out of the car with the three men.

Watanuki followed Kanou and the twins into the buildings lobby, playing shiritori the whole way with the one twin. The spirits backed off, leaving a path clear for Watanuki. The massive windows were tinted from the outside.

Watanuki was roughly frisked by a massive bouncer. The whole time he kept up the game with "Limb." He would have been upset, but his eyes were so busy keeping track of the spirits around him he didn't have time to get offended.

The twin he was playing with submitted to a frisking and said, "Basket."

The spirits back off enough where he could drop the game. When he started getting questioned about why he was here by the bouncer, Kanou put his hand on Watanuki's butt and said, "He's mine so fuck off."

"Yours?" the burly bouncer growled, looking like he doubted it.

Watanuki was nervous, but he let his body just relax. A good thing, because he felt Kanou grab a handful of the hair on the back of his head and yank. "Mine," Kanou growled before pushing a deep, passionate kiss on Watanuki. He felt Kanou's tongue thrust in his mouth and there was nothing he could do to stop it. It was his first kiss and it felt absolutely terrible.

Kanou parted from a breathless Watanuki and growled at the bouncer, "Now let us in."

The bouncer chuckled at Watanuki's discomfort. "That all? Give me more. I might believe you, but a jackass brought an assassin in here last week with that same ploy. Bringing in a school boy isn't wise right now."

Kanou then embraced Watanuki roughly and whispered, "Go with it." Watanuki fought to relax as he felt Kanou's hand go to his crouch and start massaging him. Watanuki gasped as he started getting hard. Kanou's hand kept stroking him through his jeans. He fell into the sensation of learning how to be kissed and started returning it. The sensation of being stroked by someone else was getting heady.

"Careful, high schooler. You're about to cum in my hand," Kanou whispered after kissing along Watanuki's neck.

Watanuki tried to stop thinking about the sensations coming from his groin, but it was so very hard. The bouncer, thankfully, snapped, "Okay! Enough. Don't give him a full hand job in the lobby!"

"Sure. But I do like finishing what I start," Kanou joked to the bouncer.

"Get in," the bouncer growled, hitching his thumb towards an elevator.

* * *

Watanuki shivered as he stepped into the elevator with the three men. He was angry. His first kiss should have been shared with Himawari, not with some hentai yakuza with a nasty attitude. And then to be groped on top of it all really pissed him off.

His face was blazing hot as his body settled back down. How had the man managed to make him hard? This was a dangerous situation, and Watanuki had acted like he was in the audio/visual closet at school!

"Don't scowl like that, high schooler," Kanou snapped. "I only want Ayase, certainly not you. No need to get worked up. It wasn't a big deal."

Watanuki didn't rise to the bait. Instead, he continued to brood. The elevator's door finally slid aside. He found himself sticking close by the twin he had played shiritori with. They stepped off the elevator and Watanuki found himself coughing as a noxious oder hit his nose.

"What is it, high schooler?" Kanou asked with a testy tone.

"Nothing," Watanuki snapped back. His eyes scanned the room for the source of the oder. The room was full of it. He saw the black smoke just rolling off of the shoulders of the various men and women seated around what looked like a dim nightclub. Everyone was wearing sharp suits or gowns, drinking, and talking to each other.

He tried holding his nose, but he almost fell as they walked further into the room. The shiritori playing twin grabbed his shoulder and forced him upright. He said, "Get it together!"

"Yes sir," he said, forcing himself to press on, in spite of the heavy odor. They dove further into the night club, and Watanuki felt the shiritori twin's hand get firmer on his arm. As they walked on, there were several people leering at him, making him feel horrible, not even human.

He felt the twin's arm across his shoulder in a protective manner. Most knocked off leering at Watanuki. He saw a bright glimmer across the room through the thick hazy. "Ayase is over there!"

They marched across the crowded room. Kanou paused by a bouncer. Kanou opened his jacket and showed the bouncer something. The burly man backed down and turned the other way. They passed the bouncer into a small, private room.

Watanuki huddled closer to the twin and looked around the small, private room. Ayase was naked and tied to a chair. His head was dropped forward and he was shaking hard. The man standing over him had a firm grip on Ayase's hair in one hand and what looked like a hot poker in the other.

The man without a jacket ordered Ayase, "Spread your legs! I'm going to brand you thigh, and then I'll start training you properly!"

"Let my property go," Kanou growled.

The man turned around, shocked. He lofted the hot poker and bellowed, "He's mine now! His cousin sold him back and I bought him fair and square!"

"You'll hand him back, you bastard," Kanou said, glowering. "He's not for sale."

"Forget it! I've waited a long time for a slave like this. You out bid me last time, but not now. You just didn't watch over your property well enough and he wandered off." He smirked and said, "I just picked him up at a discount, since he's no longer a virgin. Still, I'll teach him plenty of things you've never dared. You're just wasting such a tasty morsel of flesh. What he's born to do is suffer for others' pleasure." The man then lofted the hot branding iron towards Kanou. "Don't worry, I'll continue educating him where you failed."

"Not at all," Kanou said softly, but Watanuki felt a shiver up his spine when the twin parted from him and tensed.

"Kanou! Please save me!" Ayase burst out in frantic tears. "I'm so sorry! Tetsuo said he was hurt at work, and I want to make sure he was okay!" Ayase's breath grew horribly unsteady. Watanuki could tell he was in extreme distress. There were all sorts of deep cuts, already, over Ayase's soft skin, and he was just so horribly afraid. But what caught Watanuki's attention was that Ayase called out to Kanou, trusting the man to save him from an even worse fate.

The violence was sudden and quick. The twins rushed the man's sides. He flinched and lost track of Kanou who suddenly had a knife at the man's throat after the hot poker was wrenched away. Watanuki could see the twins had knives held at the man's back where the kidneys would be.

Kanou gave the man a narrow eyed look. "Ayase is learning what his master wants him to know, not what sick people like you want to impose on him. You'll let go of him right now, or I'll fuck your world up. I know where you wife and kids will be first thing tomorrow morning. We'll be there to take care of them. You've crossed the line with me. We'll go all the way if you want to play it that way."

"You don't know my family!"

"Your wife's yoga instructor certainly is a good looking woman." Kanou then chuckled. "It looks like your wife has an outside hobby like you do." The man then seemed to grow furious. "Oh, and your children's private grade school... too easy.

"They'll be room temperature by tomorrow afternoon if you lay one more finger on my property." Then Kanou smirked and said, "Maybe I'll take them and sell them here. You're daughter and son are both rather pretty. I'm sure if I brought them here tomorrow, they'd fetch a high price."

Watanuki watched the man grow enraged and loft the hot poker again. He swung it at Kanou.

Kanou ducked and punched him in the stomach. The man was laid low. Ayase shouted out, "Kanou!"

"I'm fine," he said. The man yanked a long knife from his inner jacket pocket. He freed Ayase carefully and gently. Kanou then took his suit jacket off. He wrapped Ayase up in it and took the young man in his arms. He cradled Ayase and kissed his forehead. "I'm going to take you home now. Just relax. I'm here for you. No one will lay another finger on you."

Ayase's sobbing subsided and he said. "That man was going to do things... horrible things to me!"

Kanou stroked his Ayase's hair and hushed him. "Don't worry. You're too delicate to endure that man's treatment. Just relax. It won't happen. I promise that."

It wasn't long before they were out of the nasty night club and driving off. Watanuki was in the back of the car with Kanou. The man cuddled Ayase so close, but he was unconscious. Watanuki, at some point, found himself just watching Kanou cling desperately to Ayase. Kanou whispered sweet endurances and assurances of protections, in spite of the fair-haired boy's state.

"Kanou-san, he would have been tortured?" Watanuki asked in a very soft voice, afraid to wake up Ayase. He had to get to the bottom of this relationship so he could find some peace.

Kanou nodded. "That man was a sadist. He would have tortured Ayase to death after passing him around to at least thirty other men. They would have castrated him and..."

"No!" Watanuki said, shaking his head vigorously, too horrified at the idea. His stomach felt as if it was going to rebel. He looked over to Ayase and started to stroke his head to comfort him. Kanou didn't push Watanuki away, but actually let him share in comforting Ayase.

"You wanted to get involved in our lives. Stop acting so pedantic," Kanou said, but it wasn't an unkindly tone. Watanuki continued to stroke Ayase's soft hair and nodded.

"I apologize."

To be continued.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I'm changing the rating because there is a mild sexual situation. I did give Kuba Misou a little face time- no pun intended- in this chapter. I finished Okana Ga Nai and Henshin Dekinai and thought his character needed a little more love since his twin gets all the attention.

Also, I didn't plan this chapter to happen at all! I wanted Kanou to get all nosy about Watanuki's job. Maybe a different story. I tried to forced it in that direction. It just wasn't happening the way I wanted it too, so I just let go and wrote it in the direction it wanted to go. I do have to add the pairing: Doumeki/Watanuki. I figured if you were reading this fic you wouldn't balk too much.

Another note: My husband's Japanese friend explained that the slang word for a common street thug gangster would be Yankee. A yakuza is more like the organized mafia. That's what Watanuki is arguing about with Doumeki, just a quibbling over labeling people.

Blue Monday, epilogue: Part 4

"What will happen to his cousin?" Watanuki asked, once they got to the high rise apartment in the best part of Shinjuku.

"Ishii will be dealt with," Kanou answered darkly after tucking Ayase into bed.

"I hope you won't be too harsh, for Ayase-kun's sake," Watanuki plead.

"Ishii has had his chances, so he'll receive some punishment." Kanou crossed his arms. "He might live," he finally snarled. "Having Ishii under my thumb is an advantage over Ayase, but sometimes it can be such a pain keeping that guy alive. I just wish it would sink into Ayase's skull that Ishii is a piece of shit."

Watanuki then shivered. "That was horrible. I had never seen anything like that... that club."

"Sorry to take a high schooler like you to that place, but you seem to have some weird skills, like Saiga-san, I needed."

Watanuki grew bashful, but nodded. "You could say I have an issue," Watanuki said cautiously. Now that the stress was over, he started to yawn. He grew embarrassed and bowed. "I'm so sorry, Kanou-san. I guess I'm drained."

The man gave him a smirk and said, "Just promise you'll show up to see Ayase next Tuesday afternoon. He'll be upset if you don't. And well..." Kanou looked suddenly disgruntled, "Ayase has become a better cook since you've been coming over. So keep up the good work, high schooler."

"Thanks! I will!"

"I'll have one of my men take you home."

"I appreciate it. May I please ask that it be someone who's willing to play shiritori with me. I do have a condition vaguely related to Saiga-san, but mine comes with a price I have to pay." Watanuki knew the spirits were in full tilt at this time of night; it was almost one in the morning. There was no way he could even walk the short distance from the street curb to his apartment door without Doumeki or shiritori.

Kanou looked at the twins on the sofa. One of the twins nodded. Kanou and the other twin both gave him strange looks. The twin shrugged and said, "He's making Ayase-kun a better cook. I like good food, and I like shiritori. Besides, Watanuki-kun has an interesting face."

The last part made Kanou and the other twin's jaws hit the floor. They looked at each other and then stared at the man as if he'd sprouted a second head. The other twin said, "You can actually see details on Watanuki-kun's face? Really?"

"For once I can see a person's face. It's his eyes that stand out; they're very nice. For some reason I can tell everything about his face from his eyes." The twin that had played shiritori then gave Watanuki a baffled expression. "You're the only stranger I've seen accurately in years."

"My younger brother, for whatever reason, was born without the ability to see details on a person's face. If he can distinguish your eyes, that's very odd and very special," the twin that had done all the driving explained.

"Well thank you," Watanuki said baffled.

The man stood up and took keys from his brother. "Come on. The word is Home."

"Element," Watanuki plodded down the hallway after the man. The spirits were backing off.

"Timber," the man said when they got to the elevator.

"Ram."

"My."

Watanuki felt the heat rise to his face. He got aggravated with the man as he opened the door to the fancy BMW.

The only word that could come to his head was, "Yours."

"Slam," the man replied as he pulled the car out of the parking garage.

"My," Watanuki said, cursing himself because he knew he'd become a better player than this after all of his time, but there was something else. He still felt distracted by the kiss earlier. The man now looked at his face and nodded, his face remaining impassive.

"So I win this round. I'll start with okayu, which I'm hungry for."

"Umeboshi," Watanuki said for his play.

The twin snorted. "You don't want to go down this way with food as the topic. I'm starving. Itamemono is my play and what I'm craving."

The man had parked in front of Watanuki's building. "Okaka is your word and I can make Umeboshi if you're really hungry. I normally wouldn't ruin a person's appetite for breakfast, but cooking helps relax me, and I want to thank you."

"Autumn," Kuba said, as Watanuki lead him into his apartment that had wards set around it and would be a safe haven from spirits.

Watanuki smiled and said, "I should make you take a penalty for that one, since it's off the food topic."

* * *

"Yuuko-san!" Watanuki shouted as he burst into the wish shop.

"First thing on a Monday morning before school?" Yuuko asked, with a sly smile. "You're glowing. Let me guess, you had your first date this weekend."

Watanuki scowled and snarled, "No, Yuuko-san, that dinner at my apartment wasn't a...! How did you know I had company?" Watanuki felt his face get burning hot.

He'd enjoyed his time with Kuba Misao. The younger twin had slept over because of the hour at night, but he hung around a long time on Sunday afternoon. So much so that it stretched on into Sunday's dusk by the time he left. The man was so calm and listened, even if it was silly "high school" stuff.

Watanuki eventually asked Misao about himself. The younger twin had told him that he used to steal cars for a living. The man used to be a "Yankee," come to find out, but he seemed so laid back, so understanding. His older twin brother, Homare, had wanted to get one up on Kanou-san and that's how they became employed and cleaned up their act. He couldn't picture the man as a "Yankee" at all. He was too well dressed and groomed.

Before he left, Watanuki had questioned the man about why he spent the night and shared so much. He said, "I don't get food this good often enough. That, and it's still a novelty seeing details on someone's face. Talking was a small price to pay for it." After that, the man left just at dusk on Sunday. Watanuki admitted it felt good having someone else to talk to at his place for a while. He did like having company from time to time.

Watanuki's heart started pounding furiously as he pointed out, "And besides, I've had my first date. Remember the older college girl twin?"

"She counts?"

"Yes, she counts! I paid and everything, except for those movie tickets!

"My, my, you get around, Watanuki. So now you're dating a man with an older twin? A yakuza to boot?" Yuuko asked and giggled as Watanuki's face blazed hot.

"Anyway...!" Watanuki crossed his arms, figuring she wouldn't tell him how she knew. He was eager to steer the topic off of Misao, so he said, "I just wanted to thank you for mentioning Ayase's cousin. It really helped out. By the way," Watanuki felt himself get acid in his stomach, "there are worse people out there than Kanou-san. I found that out the hard way. Plus..."

"Plus what?" she asked with a taunting tone.

"That Kanou-san might actually... care... for Ayase-kun." Watanuki had to spit out the word "care," but he got it out.

"Good. Now you'll stop interfering?"

"Yes, Yuuko-san. I promise to let Ayase-kun make his own choices. I'll still be his friend, though."

"Good. You better hurry on. There's someone waiting at the gate for you. Make sure you come over right after school. You have to make up some time from last week. Oh and..." Then she got a gleam in her eye. "Run to the Green Drug for me after school. Kakei-san and I have traded an item."

"Sure thing!" Watanuki said with a bright smile.

His smile faded when he left the boundaries of the wish shop and his eyes met Doumeki's. "I should have known it was you and not Himawari!"

"I went by your place to walk you to school, but your landlady said you'd left already. I figured you were planning on swinging by Yuuko's shop."

They started walking down the street. Watanuki stuck his nose in the air. Doumeki finally asked, "You were busy with Ayase-kun this weekend?"

"As if it's any of your business! But... yes, I was. He got himself into some trouble, and Kanou-san and I went to help him." Watanuki then shivered and shook his head. He muttered, "I don't envy his cousin in the least."

"Are you finished butting into his life?"

Watanuki, rather then yell and get steamed, said, "Yeah, I won't badger him any more." Then Watanuki smirked and got a gloating tone. "Plus, I might have found a replacement for you, you annoying oaf!"

"You mean that man your landlady saw you sneak into your apartment in the dead of night that didn't leave until the following day? She wasn't too happy when she realized he spent the night. She's going to talk to you when you get home tonight about hanging around weird yakuza types."

Watanuki started choking, realizing how Yuuko knew, now. His eyes bulged wide and he was furious. "It's not anything strange! I just cooked for him because he was NICE and he slept on the SOFA because it was so late! What are you implying, anyway?! Just because he likes my EYES doesn't mean...!" Watanuki slapped his hand over his own mouth and felt heat coming to his face, yet again.

Doumeki looked at Watanuki with a placid expression he wanted to slap away. "So did you finally get someone to make out with you?"

"What?! Why would you ask me THAT?!"

"Because you're all flushed. You look like you got caught in the audio/visual closet."

"I would never visit the audio/visual closet with a guy!"

Doumeki shrugged. "If you say so. I don't think they'll let a yakuza visit the school and make out with their underage boyfriend, anyway."

"SHUT UP, you hentai!" Watanuki then point at Doumeki's nose. "Don't you dare tell Himawari a Yankee was at my home, either!"

"Oh? You're boyfriend is actually a Yankee rather than a yakuza? That's worse for you, Ane-san. You'll get a bad reputation around school for sure."

Watanuki bowed up like a demented tom cat and shouted, "I hate you so much, Doumeki! I'm telling Haruka what a jerk you are tonight!"

Doumeki just shrugged and walked on to school. Oncoming spirits kept Watanuki by Doumeki's heel. The verbal abuse from Doumeki kept coming.

* * *

How it happened, he'd never know. He pounded on the door to the audio/visual closet and shouted, "Get me out of here! I'm stuck in here with Doumeki!"

"Sorry I'm not your Yankee boyfriend," Doumeki murmured, sitting in the corner looking too relaxed.

"I do NOT have a Yankee boyfriend!"

"Maybe you'd stop yelling if you did have one. I hear they're pretty wild. Maybe he'd wear you out or something." Before Watanuki could start screaming at him, Doumeki said, "You never did answer my question this morning. Did you make out with anyone this weekend?"

He swirled around and pointed a finger at Doumeki's nose. "Why would you care?"

"Because this is the second time you avoided that question. I assume you did get some make out time this weekend."

Watanuki blustered before his brain engaged, "What if I did and my first kiss was stolen by that jerk of a yakuza and then I was groped by him in public and I started to get..." Watanuki clenched his jaw and then explained in a tense voice, "Kanou-san had to play like I was his boyfriend so we could get into this nasty club and rescue Ayase-kun! It wasn't a big deal! It meant NOTHING!"

"Too loud," Doumeki complained and then smirked. "So you did get a public grope along with the kiss? Did you like people watching you get felt up?"

"No! It was humiliating!"

"So you got felt up. Did it go any further?"

"Why do you want to know?" Watanuki snapped.

"Just curious. So was it Kanou-san who spent the night with you?"

Watanuki flopped down on all fours in front of Doumeki. He shook his head, grateful the closet was very dim, or else Doumeki would see his blush. He admitted timidly, "No, it was one of his men that drove me home. He helped keep the spirits away by playing shiritori with me. He's a nice guy with a problem seeing faces. He could see my face, though, and he spent time with me." Then Watanuki smiled. "Oh and he's a really foodie, too, which was nice, and..."

"Shut up," Doumeki said softly, grabbed the front of Watanuki's school uniform, and pressed an awkward kiss on him. Watanuki tried to pull away, but Doumeki flipped him on his back. He was now pressed against linoleum by the taller boy. He wasn't giving Watanuki a chance to break from the kiss, either.

Watanuki tried hard, pushing against Doumeki's broad shoulders, but it was to no avail. He felt Doumeki's tongue massaging his. He kept pushing, bucking, and trying to kick. Nothing worked. He felt drained suddenly and just stopped fighting. Doumeki then stopped the kiss and nuzzled Watanuki's neck, there was a flutter in his stomach at the hot breath on his skin.

"Why?" was the only word Watanuki could get out, too shocked at this intimacy.

Doumeki put his lips by Watanuki's ear and whispered, "Because I don't want to see you with a Yankee boyfriend."

Watanuki gasped and whispered back, "Who said I was going to start seeing Misao?"

"You're already on a first name basis with him after one night. That says everything."

Watanuki was shocked into stillness. He admitted to himself there was an attraction he had developed with Misao. He hadn't admitted to Yuuko, and certainly not to Doumeki, that he'd fallen asleep while Misao was eating dinner. He had slumped over the table and had started drooling. He'd woken when Misao had tucked him into bed. Watanuki realized that Misao had taken off his shirt for him and was starting to take off his jeans.

When Watanuki woke from the tug at his belt, the man said, "I promise I was just getting you to bed. Nothing more." Watanuki calmed himself when the man carefully took his hands away from his waistband and held them out cautiously. "I mean you no harm."

The room was so dim, only lit by the moon, and Watanuki wasn't wearing his glasses so he couldn't read the man's expression. Logically, he knew this man was a thug and could more than likely make him do whatever he wanted. But Misao wasn't forcing him to do anything or even draw that huge knife he carried.

"I know," Watanuki said, relaxing at Misao's firm assurance. "It's okay. You've been very kind."

"I could stop being so kind if you wanted," Misao offered. "I can't tell many things about people's interaction with one another, but I could see you were turned on by what Kanou did to you. I'll finish what he started, if you want."

Watanuki fought to catch his breath. He was surprised there was a part of him reluctant to say no. "It felt strange, but I was surprised at what I felt. There's always been this one girl I had feelings for. Tonight has been so strange for me, so I'm not sure I want more right now. I've never gone far at all."

"It's okay. Get some rest and we'll talk tomorrow afternoon. Just talk, nothing else."

With that, Misao withdrew back to Watanuki's living room and the apartment went totally dark. Now his mind came back to the here and now with Doumeki on top of him. Had he wished he'd let Misao go further with him? There was a part of him that wished it had happened! He wished he could have relaxed and shared some intimacy with that man. There was a part of him that just wanted more satisfaction than he could provide himself!

However, now he was here with Doumeki and getting worked up! How he wanted to knee Doumeki in the balls for this, but Doumeki had his legs firmly pinned. He shook his head and glared at him, "So what if I called him by his first name," he hissed. "You don't want me to see him again? Well, it's none of your business! I'll see him again if I want to!"

Doumeki yanked the back of Watanuki's hair and pushed another kiss on him. Watanuki opened his mouth and let Doumeki in. Now he wanted to kick himself for letting this happen. He hated the guy! Why was he permitting this? He was being so stupid! Watanuki felt himself get amorous once again.

"Don't see him again, Watanuki. You won't get what you need from him."

Watanuki felt as if his heart was going to thud right out of his chest. He needed release and Doumeki wasn't going to let him go. Watanuki narrowed his eyes and Doumeki said firmly, "Don't see him again."

"If I do?"

"How about if you don't, you'll get a reward?"

"What reward?" He asked, still trying to catch his breath.

He felt Doumeki's hand slip down his pants and start to gently fondle him. "None of this has to go outside of this closet. We can just keep it here, between us. You can still act towards me like you do, I'll do the same."

"But Himawari?" Watanuki gasped as Doumeki's hand became more insistent.

"What about her?"

"Aren't you interested in her? Why are you harassing me?"

"Have I ever asked her out? Besides, I'm not harassing you, just giving you another option."

Watanuki's words disappeared as all he could think about was what was going on between his legs. He felt so close! He let his body relax and it wasn't long before he shuddered and moaned. His mind started racing. Had he really just let Doumeki give him an orgasm? Judging by the moisture, he had.

Now what was he supposed to do? His brain finally reengaged and he asked timidly, "Did you want me to do the same?"

"Only if you want to," Doumeki replied and slid to lay beside Watanuki.

He thought several weeks ago he would have never considered being intimate with another boy, let alone Doumeki. Getting involved with Ayase's situation had changed things for Watanuki.

Watanuki said, "I want to."

End.


End file.
